Outer socks

ABSTRACT

An outer sock is disclosed, the outer sock covering a lower portion of a wearer&#39;s foot under his or her ankle, including: an upper edge section defining entrance portions for putting the wearer&#39;s foot, such as a rear portion, parts of lateral portions adjacent to the rear portion, a front portion, and remaining parts of the lateral portions; a toe portion; a boundary portion between the front portion and the toe portion; a sole portion; instep portions; a heel portion; a first knitted pattern formed at the rear portion, and the parts of the lateral portions; a second knitted pattern formed at the front portion; a third knitted pattern formed at the remaining parts of the lateral portions; a fourth knitted pattern formed at the boundary portion; a fifth knitted pattern formed at the toe portion, the sole portion, the instep portions, and the heel portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to outer socks, and more particularly to outer socks that can be knitted by a knitting machine and can be prevented from easily coming off by solving the problem of existing outer socks easily coming off due to the absence of a means for fixing an ankle portion.

2. Description of the Related Art

Outer socks or foot coverings originate in traditional Korean large socks, which are worn over socks. However, socks having no ankle portion, which are worn on a wearer's foot or worn over his or her socks, have recently come to be called outer socks.

Thus, in the past, individual outer socks were produced by closely attaching two pieces of fabric to each other, and thereafter sewing an edge portion except for a top portion. However, various kinds of outer socks produced in such a manner as to join at least three pieces of fabric, or to use one piece of fabric made of a stretchable material, have recently been produced and sold.

In the case of such outer socks, there is a problem in that the outer socks come off easily because a separate fixing band is not present in an upper opening portion, the alternative to which is to separately form a rubber band, thereby causing inconvenience in manufacturing the outer socks. Furthermore, since the rubber band presses the wearer's skin, the wearer may experience discomfort while wearing the outer socks.

Also, despite the fact that when a ball portion of feet, a sole portion, side portions, and an entrance portion for inserting the wearer's foot are formed to have different characteristics, comfortable and functional outer socks may be provided, other methods have not been applied to outer socks, with the exception of a method performed in such a manner as to add additional material, for example, a rubber band for providing fixing force, or to join different kinds of fabrics.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT Patent Document

(Patent Document 1): Korean Utility Model No. 20-0189035-0000 (May 2, 2000)

(Patent Document 2): Korean Utility Model No. 20-00236400-0000 (Jun. 19, 2001)

(Patent Document 3): Korean Utility Model No. 20-0409584-0000 (Feb. 16, 2006)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide outer socks that can provide a comfortable fit and can be prevented from coming off by dividing the outer sock into an upper edge section and respective portions and by knitting the portions in different methods using a knitting machine for knitting existing socks.

In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of an outer sock covering the lower portion of a wearer's foot under his or her ankle, including: an upper edge section defining entrance portions for putting the wearer's foot, such as a rear portion, parts of lateral portions adjacent to the rear portion, a front portion, and remaining parts of the lateral portions; a toe portion; a boundary portion between the front portion and the toe portion; a sole portion; instep portions; a heel portion; a first knitted pattern formed at the rear portion, and the parts of the lateral portions; a second knitted pattern formed at the front portion; a third knitted pattern formed at the remaining parts of the lateral portions; a fourth knitted pattern formed at the boundary portion between the toe portion and the front portion; and a fifth knitted pattern formed at the toe portion, the sole portion, the instep portions, and the heel portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual view showing the knitted structure of a first knitted pattern A according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a conceptual view showing the knitted structure of a second knitted pattern B according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a conceptual view showing the knitted structure of a third knitted pattern C according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual view showing the knitted structure of a fourth knitted pattern D and the structure of a seam line according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a conceptual view showing the knitted structure of a fifth knitted pattern E according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The configuration of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in such a matter that the configuration can be easily understood and reproduced by those having ordinary skill in the art.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view according to the embodiment of the present invention. An outer sock covering the lower portion of a wearer's foot under his or her ankle includes: an upper edge section defining entrance portions for putting the wearer's foot, such as a rear portion, parts of lateral portions adjacent to the rear portion, a front portion, and remaining parts of the lateral portions; a toe portion; a boundary portion between the front portion and the toe portion; a sole portion; instep portions; a heel portion; a first knitted pattern A formed at the rear portion, and the parts of the lateral portions; a second knitted pattern B formed at the front portion; a third knitted pattern C formed at the remaining parts of the lateral portions; a fourth knitted pattern D formed at the boundary portion; and a fifth knitted pattern E formed at the toe portion, the sole portion, the instep portions, and the heel portion.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the first knitted pattern A, the second knitted pattern B, the third knitted pattern C, the fourth knitted pattern D and the fifth knitted pattern E are knitted by different methods and have knitted structures in which outer socks can be produced using a device for knitting socks having no ankle portion, in comparison with basic socks, by varying the settings for knitting stitches of the device.

The effects resulting from each pattern will be hereinafter described in greater detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual view showing a knitted structure of the first knitted pattern A according to the present invention. The knitted structure of the first knitted pattern A is configured such that the loops of the first knitted pattern A are knitted with loops of an adjacent pattern by repeatedly performing normal rotation and reverse rotation for knitting stitches using needles of a knitting machine, and initial and final portions of the first knitted pattern A form one knitted pattern so that a band portion can be formed by reducing elongation.

That is, since a heel portion covering the wearer's heel may most often chafe the wearer's foot when the wearer wears the outer sock, a band is formed in the heel portion so as to impart thickness, strength and slight elasticity so that excellent durability can be provided, and the outer socks can be prevented from coming off because they are not easily elongated.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual view showing a knitted structure of the second knitted pattern B. The kitted structure of the second knitted pattern B is configured such that a knitted pattern is formed in such a manner as to skip over knitting stitches for the loops of one pattern, knitting stitches for such knitted patterns being alternately repeated. This knitted structure forms a band structure that can prevent the outer sock from coming off by reducing elongation compared to that of the portions of the outer sock knitted as the fifth knitted pattern E.

Thus, the portion of the outer sock knitted as the second knitted pattern B are able to be prevented from being easily elongated because the portion of the outer sock are too weak, and are intended to prevent the wearer's skin, such as the top of the foot, from being damaged due to friction therewith.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual view showing a knitted structure of the third knitted pattern C according to the present invention. The knitted structure of the third knitted pattern C is formed by repeatedly performing knitting stitches for the first knitted pattern A and the second knitted pattern B in an alternating manner, wherein the first knitted pattern A is configured such that the loops of the first knitted pattern A are knitted with loops of an adjacent pattern by repeatedly performing normal rotation and reverse rotation for knitting stitches using the needles of a knitting machine, and the second knitted pattern B is configured such that a knitted pattern is formed in such a manner as to skip over knitting stitches for the loops of one pattern, knitting stitches for such knitted patterns being alternately repeated. The knitted structure of the third knitted pattern C forms a band structure that can prevent the portions knitted as third knitted pattern C from being opened by reducing elongation compared to that of the portions knitted as the fifth knitted pattern E.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual view showing the knitted structure of fourth knitted pattern D, and shows the structure of a seam line according to the present invention. The knitted structure of fourth knitted pattern D is a general finish line (a seam line) of a top edge portion of the outer sock, wherein the seam line is formed and finished by performing knitting stitches for the first knitted pattern A, the third knitted pattern C, and the second knitted pattern B, and thereafter performing knitting stitches for the fourth knitted pattern D.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual view showing a knitted structure of the fifth knitted pattern E according to the present invention. Fifth knitted pattern E is the most commonly and frequently used pattern in socks that are soft and are easily elongated.

As described above, according to the present invention, an upper edge section defining entrance portions for putting the wearer's foot, such as a rear portion, parts of lateral portions adjacent to the rear portion, a front portion, and remaining parts of the lateral portions, a toe portion, a boundary portion between the front portion and the toe portion, a sole portion, instep portions, and a heel portion are knitted using different methods so that the outer socks are stretchable overall, and the entrance portions for putting the wearer's foot can have strength and elasticity, thereby preventing the outer socks from easily coming off from the wearer's feet.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An outer sock covering a lower portion of a wearer's foot under his or her ankle, comprising: an upper edge section defining entrance portions for putting the wearer's foot, such as a rear portion, parts of lateral portions adjacent to the rear portion, a front portion, and remaining parts of the lateral portions; a toe portion; a boundary portion between the front portion and the toe portion; a sole portion; instep portions; a heel portion; a first knitted pattern formed at the rear portion, and the parts of the lateral portions; a second knitted pattern formed at the front portion; a third knitted pattern formed at the remaining parts of the lateral portions; a fourth knitted pattern formed at the boundary portion; and a fifth knitted pattern formed at the toe portion, the sole portion, the instep portions, and the heel portion. 